Wet sorting apparatus



Jan. 9, 1923. M41571.

A. FRANCE.

WET SORTING APPARATUS mu) APEX. I0. 1920.

Wa 169 m Patented Jan. 9, 119213.

ANTOINE FRANCE, canteen, BELGI M] Application filed April 1 ,1920 Serial no. 372,952. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTOINE FRANCE, a subject of the King of the Belgians, residing at Liege, Belgium, 353 Rue St. Gilles,

have invented certain Improvements in Wet Sorting Apparatus, of which the followingis .a specification.

Thepresent invention relates to improvements in or modifications of wet sorting apparatus of the kind described in specificationof United States 'Letters Patent Ser. No.

' 144,796/17, wherein the classification of the minerals, according to specific gravity is obtained by firstly subjecting the minerals to be treated to the influence of a conveying stream of water in a sloping launder or trough and is completed under the action of ascending or upwardly directed streams of water 1n flooded sorting pockets communicating with the trough through slots inthe bottom of same. aforesaid specification, each flooded sortlng pocket is provided with a perforated false bottom or screen sloping downwards to means, such as oscillating flaps, adapted to control the discharge of the materials accumulated in the pocket.

The present invention consists in the provision of a sliding wall adapted to permit of the dimensions of the separating pocket being modified, and in the provision of means permitting of a continuous or intermittent discharge of the accumulated material.

In the accompanying drawings, which are somewhat diagrammatic Figures 1 to 4' are lateral sectional elevations illustrating pockets provided with similar means for varying the size of the pockets but. different means for controlling the discharge.

Figure 5 is a lateral sectional elevation of a pocket in which the devices for varying the size and for controlling the discharge are p tion of the products filling the pocket 22 to' duplicated, I

Figure 6 is an end elevatlon corresponding to any of the lateral elevations illustrated by Figs. 1-5.

In the drawings some of the parts bearsimilar reference numerals to thoseindicating corresponding parts in the drawings ac.- companying the parent specification to which reference is made above, the said parts being the trough or conduit 21, the pocket 22, the perforated sloping screen 27, the discharge valve 2with its operating lever 5 and chain 9--and the water inlet 23.

In the apparatus described in the the embodiment shownin Figure 1, the slze of thepocket 22 is regulated by a sliding plate 44 which is conveniently adjusted by means of a screwed rod 40 passing through a threaded nut in a bracket-41 and provided with a" hand wheel'42, although-the handwheel may be replaced by a nut provided on the outer end portion of the screwed rod and suitably arranged to bear against the bracket 41 when rotated in one'direction or the other, the'said bracket 41 being secured .on' the outside to the corresponding'wall of the pocket 22. The discharge is controlled by a perforated oscillatory sector-shaped flap 2 as in the above mentioned parent specification.

The operation is as follows:

The flap 2 when closed serves to obtain the accumulation in the pocket 22 of higher specific gravity minerals which the conveying stream in the launder 21 has not been able, owing to the said gravity, to carry fur- I the'r along the launder overthe slot in the bottom of the latter and to prevent from settling in the'aforesaid pocket, which is thus maintained by the flap 2 full of a product which is not completely clean and of which the classification is completed in the pocket 22 under the influence ofan upward stream supplied at 23 and passing through the small holes in the flap 2 and the screen 27.

The flap 2 is controlled by means of an arm 5 which may be operated mechanically, for instance by connecting same as shown at 9 to any suitably driven part, or which may be provided with a weight (not shown) adjusted to allow the movement of the flap 2 only when a sufiicient quantity of material has accumulated in the pocket 22 to counterbalance by the action of its weight on the upper face of the flap the action of the said weight on the arm 5. Thus, periodically at intervals calculated to allow the classificabe completed sufficiently, an oscillatory movement is imparted to the flap 2 whereby a discharge opening is formed between the wall44 and the adjacent edge of the flap to allow the passage ofthe quantity of dense products to be evacuated each time. It will size of the pocket 22. Thus by altering the position of the wall 44, the discharge openingmay be adjusted while keeping invariable the amplitude of the periodical opening movement of the flap 2. Now, it is important in order to obtain perfectly sorted and clean discharged products that the pocket should as much as possible be kept full of material, and to this end the sliding wall 44 allows to adjust for each category treated at any given time, the distance between the wall and the adjacent edge of the flap 2 so as just to'p-revent the passage the smaller-sized particles of the said category only duringthe periods during which the flap-is in the closed position while being just sufficient when the flap takes the open position at the end of each of such periods to-allow the passage of the larger-sized particles of that category only. If no sliding wall such as 44 was provided,- it would be necessary fonthe aforesaid distance to be such 'as' to prevent when the-fiap'is in the closedposition the passage of the smallest sized grains of the smaller ofall categories it is desired to treat in the same apparatus, and to allow when the flap is opened the passage of the largest-sized grains of the larger of the said p categories. The distance referred to for the two positions of the flap 2having thus to be adapted to the two extreme conditions stated instead of being adjustable by means of the sliding wall 44 according to the category treated at any, given time, an exaggerated amplitude of the movement of the flap would be required, which would cause 'a' downward movement of the mass of minerals in the pocket 22 which would seriouslydisturb and hinder the classification therein.

It will therefore be clearly apparent that among several other advantages, the present improvement allows the treatmentof various categories in the same apparatus and.

at the same. time. to obtain, whatever the category treated at a given time may be ideal conditions of evacuation without the serious drawback'of having to givel,-to the movement of the flap an exaggerated am plitude. 5 Figs. the flap equivalent means which are suitably op- 2 to 5 show modifications. wherein erated-to discharge when'required the material classified in the sorting pocket, the 1 sliding wall 44 acting in conjunction with the said means to allow the adjustment of the size of the pocket and of the discharge;

illustrated by Fig. 1 is replaced by name in the presence of two subscribing witopening in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the arrangement shown by Fig. 1.

In Figure 2 a horizontal sliding valve 2 is shown as a means for controlling the discharge. 7

In F ig.3 the sliding valve 2 is inclined.

In Figure 4a rotary valve 2 is shown said valve being adapted to rotate continuously so as to secure a continuous discharge.

In Figure 5 the two inclined screens 27 are in the form of sliding plates and a duplex valve 2 is shown, both parts of the valve oscillating.

I claim: r 1. In improved wet sorting apparatus for coal and other minerals, a sloping trough for theclassification'ofthe minerals according to specific gravity under the influence charge of the sorted products 0 high specificgravity, arranged in the base of said ockets,and means within such pockets for adjusting the horizontal cross section thereof and the size of their discharge openings, adapted to cooperate with aforesaid movable perforated members for controlling the discharge, substantially as and for the purpose described. v

'2. Improved wet sorting apparatus for coal and other minerals according to claim 1, having means for adjustin the horizontal cross section and the size 0 the discharge opening of the pockets consisting of a sliding vertical wall or plate movable in a horiz'ontal direction and, worked by means of a screw, substantially as described.

3. Improved wet sorting apparatus for coal and other minerals according to'elaim 1, having'means for adjusting the h rizontal cross section and the size of the discharge opening of the pockets consisting of a slid- Ting inclined wall or plate movable in a horizontal direction and worked by means of a screw, substantially as described. I

In testimony thereof I signed hereunto my nesses.

n ANTOINE FRANCE. Witnessesz Gun'ris T. EvnRE'rr, 7 J. GRAU. 

